Eggless Royal Icing Recipe
Today, we’re diving into the world of royalty—eggless royal icing, that is! Now, I want to be clear: I’m no cookie-decorating expert (not by a long shot!).
But here’s the thing… My daughter absolutely loves decorating cookies! The challenge? Most royal icing recipes—both homemade and store-bought—contain eggs. So, a few years ago, I set out to find a solution. I tweaked a classic recipe to make it egg-free, and it’s been a game-changer ever since!
What Is Royal Icing?
If you are unfamiliar, Royal icing is a thick white icing used to decorate mostly cookies. It dries hard and is very versatile. There are many techniques to work with this icing, depending on the consistency and what you want to achieve.
The Eggless Royal Icing recipe I’m sharing today has a thick consistency, which makes it best for detail work, such as piping borders, drawing decorative shapes, or gluing together a gingerbread house.
Of course, you can thin the icing out with water, depending on how thick you want it.
Ingredients You’ll Need, Substitutions & Notes
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
- Confectioner’s sugar – also known as powdered sugar.
- Water
- Light corn syrup—If you don’t like corn syrup, I offer an alternative recipe that uses aquafaba and cream of tartar instead. The details are in the recipe card below.
- Lemon juice
Process Overview: Step-by-Step Photos
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
- Mix the confectioner’s sugar and water in a glass bowl until there are no lumps. Note: You can make this icing by hand, but using an electric or stand mixer makes the mixing process a breeze.
- Add light corn syrup and mix until incorporated.
- Stir in lemon juice and mix until incorporated.
- Use the white icing as it is, or divide it into several bowls and add gel food coloring.
Tips & Tricks to Make Eggless Royal Icing
- The consistency of this icing is best for detail work, such as piping border, drawing decorative shapes, or gluing together a gingerbread house. To thin icing for flooding a cookie, add more water, about one teaspoon at a time, stirring slowly. Be careful not to stir vigorously, or you will add air to the icing, and it won’t flood evenly.
- If you need thicker icing, mix in a little more confectioner’s sugar.
- If you need thinner icing, add a few more drops of water.
- The lemon juice helps harden the icing, but you could substitute vanilla extract if you prefer for flavor purposes.
- Keep all utensils completely grease-free.
- To add color, divide royal icing among several small bowls and stir in a few drops of gel paste.
Eggless Royal Icing Flavor Ideas
Feel free to add 1/2 teaspoon of your favorite flavored extracts, such as almond, lemon, coconut, orange, maple, or peppermint.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
Royal icing can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can freeze eggless royal icing for up to a month. However, you may find an unpleasant texture change in your icing after frozen, so I recommend using it within the first three days.
Frequently Asked Questions
The biggest difference between regular sugar icing and royal icing is texture: regular sugar icing is creamy and soft; royal icing hardens after it dries.
Royal icing is used to decorate gingerbread houses, sugar cookies, and many other sweet treats.
Royal icing can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.
You can freeze eggless royal icing for up to a month. However, you may find an unpleasant texture change in your icing after being frozen, so I recommend using it within the first three days.
These Eggless Royal Icings are completely dry in about 4-6 hours at room temperature. I always let them dry overnight to be on the safe side. The cookies need to be left out in the open to dry properly. If you’re layering royal icing o
After mixing the ingredients, drag the tip of a butter knife through the surface of your icing. If it takes 8 – 10 seconds to settle flat, you are good. If it’s too thick, add more water (about a teaspoon at a time). If it’s too thin, add a little more sifted confectioners’ sugar. Continue adding more until you reach the consistency you’d like.
This Egg-Free Royal Icing Is Perfect On:
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Recipe Card
Eggless Royal Icing
Ingredients
RECIPE #1
- 2 cups (240 g) confectioner's sugar
- 4 – 5 teaspoons (20 – 25 ml) water
- 4 teaspoons (20 ml) light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) lemon juice
RECIPE #2
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) aquafaba
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 cups (240 g) confectioner's sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) lemon juice
Important
Don’t forget to check out the step-by-step photos above in the post—they’ll guide you through the process and make everything super clear!
Instructions
RECIPE #1
- Mix confectioner's sugar and water in a glass bowl until no lumps. Note: You can make this icing by hand but using an electric mixer or a stand mixer makes the mixing process a breeze.
- Add light corn syrup and mix until incorporated.
- Stir in lemon juice and mix until incorporated. NOTE: Check consistency; after mixing the ingredients together, drag the tip of a butter knife through the surface of your icing. If it takes 8 – 10 seconds to settle flat, you are good. If it’s too thick, add more water (about a teaspoon at a time). If it’s too thin, add a little more sifted confectioners’ sugar. Continue adding more until you reach the consistency you’d like.
- Use the white icing as it is, or divide the icing into several bowls and add gel food coloring. See notes for different consistencies.
- Use immediately, or store in an airtight container with a piece of plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface of the icing for up to 3 days. Stir gently with a spatula before using.
RECIPE #2
- Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the aquafaba and cream of tartar on medium-high speed until it reaches medium peaks, 5 to 8 minutes
- Add confectioner's sugar; mix until well incorporated.
- Add lemon juice and mix to incorporate. NOTE: Check consistency; after mixing the ingredients together, drag the tip of a butter knife through the surface of your icing. If it takes 8 – 10 seconds to settle flat, you are good. If it’s too thick, add more water (about a teaspoon at a time). If it’s too thin, add a little more sifted confectioners’ sugar. Continue adding more until you reach the consistency you’d like.
IMPORTANT: These Eggless Royal Icings completely dries in about 4-6 hours at room temperature. I always let them dry overnight to be on the safe side. The cookies need to be left out in the open to dry properly. If you’re layering royal icing onto cookies for specific designs and need it to set quickly, place cookies in the refrigerator to help speed it up.
- For Thicker Icing: If you need a thicker icing, mix in a little more confectioner’s sugar.
- For Thinner Icing: If you need thinner icing, add a few more drops of water.
- This icing consistency is best for detail work, such as piping border, drawing decorative shapes, or gluing together a gingerbread house.
- The lemon juice helps harden the icing, but you could substitute vanilla extract if you prefer for flavor purposes.
- Keep all utensils completely grease-free.
- Be careful not to stir vigorously, or you will add air to the icing, and it won’t flood evenly.
- To add color, divide royal icing among several small bowls and stir in a few gel or paste food coloring drops.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Eggless Baking Frequently Asked Questions
You’ve asked, and I’ve answered! Read on for a handful of answers to the most frequently asked questions about eggless baking.
Originally posted in December 2017, the post content was edited to add more helpful information, no change to the recipe in September 2021.
I was nervous but curious to try recipe #2 using the aquafaba. The recipe is amazing with no funny aftertaste from the garbanzo beans. I thinned the icing with just a little water and dipped Oriana’s Eggless Sugar Cookies face down into the royal icing. Without thinning, the icing would be perfect for piping and decorating. The combination of the two recipes resulted in really beautiful and delicious cookies.
I also love this recipe, Tonya! So versatile and easy to make. Thanks so much for your feedback and for trying my recipe.
Dear Oriana,
I am a vegan and wanted to make a gingerbread house with my child. White chocolate was one alternative mentioned in a recipe, but it is difficult to work with it during various stages of construction and needs frequent melting/ warming up as it hardens quickly. Then I came across this website and this eggless icing worked wonderfully. My child could use it to stick stuff and also pipe it for decorations. It has made this holiday season so special.
Thank you so much. Merry Christmas and a Happy 2021
Hello Dee! It sounds like you nailed it! So happy this recipe was helpful to you. Hope you had fun building your gingerbread house. Thanks so much for trying my recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know. Happy 2021!
And add a drop of
Blue food colouring to make it
White?
Sorry, I haven’t tried with blue. When I want super white icing I use white food color
Hi, can I Sue orange extract?
Hello Yvonne! Yes, you can =)
I followed the ml measurements and found it had WAY too much water. The conversion from teaspoons to ml should be 4-5 tsp = 20-25 ml, NOT 60-75 ml. I don’t have enough powdered sugar to thicken it. I would need to triple the amount. Just thought you should know so it is corrected.
Hello Kimberly! Sorry for the confusion. Thanks so much for letting me know and for trying my recipe. Happy Holidays!
Would you recommend recipe 1 or 2 for building a gingerbread house?
Hello Elena! They both hold together very well. Some people do not like to use corn syrup; that is why I added a second option. Since I don’t mind using corn syrup, I always use recipe #1. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
I tried the recipe #2 and it came out beautifully! Thank you so much!
Hello Mary! It sounds like you nailed it! Thanks so much for trying my recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know.
Really easy to make, and easy to use. Holds well together too!
Hello Laura! Thanks so much for your feedback and for trying my recipe. xo
Hi! I was wondering if this icing is paintable. If I let it harden, will I be able to paint on it with food coloring or edible marker like I do with regular royal icing?
Hello Mary! I am sorry, but I haven’t tried to paint it. If you do try, please let me know the outcome. Thanks for your interest in my recipe.🙂
I have use this recipe soooo many times! Always perfect. I like to use my electric mixer to mix it well, that way I don need to add more water or lemon juice. thanks for sharing the recipe.
Hello Carol! Thanks so much for your feedback and for trying my recipe.
Can I use liquid glucose instead of corn syrup?
Hello Ankita! Yes, you can.
Is there any substitute for light corn syrup?
Hello Titiksha! I am sorry but I haven’t tested this recipe with a substitute. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
Well, I can’t try this recipe until I don’t get corn syrup or its substitute because Corn Syrup isn’t available in my country. Any substitute? I hope you understand me.
Hello Titiksha! I am sorry but I haven’t tested this recipe with a corn syrup substitute. If you search online, you will be able to find how to make corn syrup at home. If you do try using this alternative homemade version, please let me know the outcome. Thanks for your interest in my recipe.?
Thank you so much for replying, I found a recipe for making corn syrup online and it turned out pretty okay. Thank you
Great Titiksha!
hello I saw another recipe for royal icing and they used corn syrup too. People in the comments were saying that honey worked just fine. I wanted to ask you about this first
No problem! If you try with honey and it works, please let me know, I might be wrong.
I’m thinking of using this recipe tomorrow as I don’t have enough eggs however I do not have any corn syrup. I looked up substitutes and they all say sweet things like golden syrup, honey or sugar dissolved in warm water. Do you know what would be the best substitute? Thanks! X
Hello Indigo! The corn syrup is essential to make this recipe since it’s what makes the icing set. I don’t think honey or sugar dissolved in water will work, however, if you do try using this alternative ingredient, please let me know the outcome. Thanks for your interest in my recipe.?
Same issue as someone else stated. Is the water supposed to be tablespoons rather than teaspoons?
Hello Lily! Adding little amounts of liquid is better to achieve the thickness you desire. Thanks for your interest in my recipe.
Hi Oriana
Could this recipe be used to decorate easter sugar cookies? Would I need to thin it out slightly?
Hello Kamal! Yes, you can use this recipe to decorate sugar cookies. I don’t think you need to thin it out but it’s up to you. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)